The Sight
by Rainieskeighs
Summary: When Verity's grandmother and parents die, she is sent to Hogwarts under mysterious circumstances. There she finds family, love, and plenty of adventure. Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts
1. Chapter 1

**The Sight**

**Chapter One**

The rain fell in dense, gray sheets, blurring everything within three feet into oblivion. Verity Rasmussen started out of the window of her grandmothers' home as if mesmerized by the silvery droplets cascading down the glass pane. In her hand she clutched a crystal tear drop pendant. Her grandmother had given it to her minutes (or was it hours?) ago, making her promise to keep it safe and never give it up. As Verity had made the vow, her grandmother had squeezed her hand, and, closing her eyes, slipped away.

Tears now fell softly from Verity's sapphire eyes, echoing the weeping sky. First her parents and now her grandmother was gone. She didn't know what to do now, without any family, without anyone, really. As she lamented the loss of her beloved grandmother, she clutched the pendant more and more tightly, welcoming the pain it brought, for it meant that she could still feel. Even after her tragic loss, she could still feel, still love.

A fresh wave of grief washed over Verity, causing her to grasp the pendant even more tightly, and, with a gasp, she felt the stone cut into her hand. She opened her palm and stared in disbelief at the blood, bright red, shining on her palm. Then, as the blood mingled with the pendant, a curious sensation came over her. It was as if someone had grabbed her around the waist and pulled her straight into the air. The world was spinning madly around her, making her want to be sick-and then she was falling…

X X X

"He's done it! Harry Potter has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

A grin stole over Harry's face as he held the hand containing the snitch high over his head. A victory lap seemed to be in order, so he took off around the Quidditch pitch, reveling in the cheers of his fellow schoolmates (except the Slytherins, who were booing). He looked into the sky-and frowned. There was something up there, falling-and fast. A girl! Switching directions, Harry sped towards the falling girl and, with complete disregard to his own safety, grabbed her out of the air. The crowd was now gasping as Harry soared back to the ground and placed the dark haired girl tenderly on the grassy ground.

X X X

_The room was dark, save for two distant lights. They looked to be candle flames. Verity tried to move towards them, but she felt as if she were moving in water. The harder she tried to move, the harder moving became. Panicking now, Verity fought, as if against invisible people. She had to make it to the light! Terrible things were going to happen… _

X X X

"Who is she, do you think?" Ron Weasly asked to the room at large.

Harry and Hermione both shrugged. Madame Pomfrey just continued to examine her unconscious patient.

"Nothing seems to be broken." She concluded at last. "I can't seem to detect any internal injuries. It appears that she has simply fainted from shock.

As Madame Pomfrey made the pronouncement, the door opened and in walked Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Madame Pomfrey busted over to them, leaving the three teenagers with the mystery girl.

"That was quite the catch, anyway, Harry." Hermione finally said.

"Which one?" Ron asked wryly.

"Well, both, I guess."

They lapsed again into silence as they studied the girl laying on the bed.

She was…interesting, Harry finally concluded. Not pretty, exactly, but not bad looking, either. Long dark brown hair framed a pale, heart shaped face. Black lashes lay in crescents on her smooth cheeks and dark eyebrows added character to her face, like two decisive brushstrokes from an artist.

Suddenly, the girl began thrashing about violently, as if struggling attains unseen hands. Ron and Harry looked at each other wildly, not knowing what to do, as Hermione ran to bring the grown ups over.

And, as suddenly as it had started, it was over. The girl was laying, quit still, staring wide eyed up at everyone gathered around the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Verity's sense of panic grew as she looked up at the people surrounding her. She was sure that she didn't know a single one of them, though the red haired one looked vaguely familiar. They were all dressed very strangely: black robes and, for the older ones, pointed hats. This only served to heighten her anxiety. _'Are these people some sort of cult?' _she wondered.

"Who the hell are you people?" Verity finally asked, her voice not nearly as steady as she would have liked.

"Ah, forgive us." The old man said gravely, though there was a humorous glint in his eyes. "This is Professor McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasly, and Harry Potter. I am Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster her at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now, would you be so kind as to tell who _you_ are?"

"Verity Rasmussen." She replied automatically, then "What! Hogwarts school of Witchcraft…is this someone's idea of a joke?" She stared at the faces around her in disbelief.

"Professor McGonagall, please take Misters Potter and Weasly and Ms. Granger to their dormitory." As they left, Madame Pomfrey retired to what appeared to be an office, leaving Verity with the eccentric looking Professor Dumbledore.

"My dear," Dumbledore began, "Can you tell me how you happened to come here?"

"I-I'm not sure. I was just holding my grandmother's pendant, then I must have passed out, or something. I felt like I was spinning and falling. Maybe the pendant…" she looked reflectively at the palm of her right hand where she could see the small cut, then a thought occurred to her. "My pendant! Where is it?" she looked around wildly, desperately. "Grandma told me not to lose it!"

"Calm down, Ms. Rasmussen. Is this the pendant you are speaking of?" Dumbledore reached into his robes then held up a silver chain, on which the crystal pendant was sparkling merrily.

Verity smiled gratefully, and Dumbledore began to speak as she secured the delicate necklace around her neck.

"Your crystal is very unusual, Ms. Rasmussen. You said your grandmother gave it to you?"

Verity nodded wryly, not sure where this was going.

"Can you tell me where she got it from?"

"I'm not sure, Professor. She's always worn it. She gave it to me this morning, right before she-she died." Tears began to escape her eyes again. She gratefully took the handkerchief offered and dabbed at her eyes. As she looked up, she was surprised to see tears in Dumbledore's eyes, as well.

"I'm sorry to hear that she's gone. Your grandmother was a good woman."

"You knew my grandmother?" Verity asked incredulously.

"Yes, of course. I knew Leonora quite well. In fact she sent me an owl just last week telling me to expect the arrival of her granddaughter. I didn't quite expect such a dramatic entrance, however. I can show you the letters, if you would like."

"An owl? I'm sorry, sir, but I'm very confused. Why did my grandmother want me to come here?"

"For now, I believe that we should concentrate on explaining exactly where you are. But first…" Out of nowhere, a long sheet of parchment and a quill appeared. Verity blinked. Surely she hadn't just seen that?

Dumbledore scrawled something on the paper. Then, summoning Madame Pomfrey, he asked her to send the message straight away.

When they were alone once again, Dumbledore started to tell her about Hogwarts. Verity listened in growing disbelief, but resisted the urge to interrupt-or laugh hysterically.

"So you're saying," Verity said carefully, that I am in a school full of witches and wizards who are learning to do magic."

"Yes." Dumbledore said simply.

"Then why did my grandmother want me to come here?"

"Because you are a witch, of course."

"But…What!"

"When you were eleven," Dumbledore explained, "a letter was sent to you, telling you of your acceptance to Hogwarts. However, your parents decided that they wanted you to live as a muggle, that is, a non-magic person. Your grandmother was not very happy with their decision, but it was theirs to make. Things have changed, however."

"How is that?"

"Well, as your parents died last year, your grandmother was made your guardian. It was now her decision where to send you for schooling. Still, she was unsure of what to do. Your parents had not chosen magic for you, after all. Last week, she finally made her decision. And here you are!"

"But whydidn't _grandma_ tell me all of this?" Verity asked.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, the door opened and a plump, smiling woman ran over to her bed and enveloped her in a giant hug.

"Oh, my, poor, dear, girl! We just received the news about Leonora! Arthur is on his way right now. He was working when we got the news. Oh, he's very upset. Leonora was his favorite aunt of mine, you know."

"Um, I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?"

"Oh, of course you don't know who I am! My name is Molly Weasley. Your grandparents were my aunt and uncle. Your father and I were cousins."

Now that she mentioned it, Verity did seem to remember her grandmother mentioning that she had cousins on her father's side. They had never met due to some falling out that had happened before Verity's birth. Somehow it was comforting to have this woman here. Even though they had only just met, it was nice to have a connection with someone else.

When Verity had a chance later that evening to look back on the day's events, she was overwhelmed with emotion. Sadness, of course, was at the forefront, but also, and most strangely, love.

Shortly after Molly had arrived, her husband and four of their children came in. One of the boys was Ron, the boy she had met earlier. Fred and George were twins (apparently they owned their own joke shop) and Ginny was the youngest and only girl. She learned that Ron, who was the same age as her, and Ginny both attended Hogwarts. The twins had left last year (Ron promised to tell her the story later).

It was strange, the way that she thought of the Weasleys as her family already. She hadn't even known them this morning, but it just seemed right to her. A perfect fit.

_

* * *

__A/N: This is my first story (posted, I write all the time), so I'm still trying to get a hang of everything. Verity is a character that I couldn't seem to get out of my head, even though I know she's probably a Mary Sue of some sort and the story isn't exactly cannon. Oh well, that's why I'm writing it, not JKR._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

Harry and Hermione were alone in the common room when Ron and Ginny returned.

"So what was so urgent? What did Professor McGonagall need you guys for?" Hermione asked.

"Well…" Ginny began

"It's a bit strange." Ron said.

"Well just tell us already!" Harry exclaimed

"Ok, well you know that girl, Verity?" Ginny asked.

"We're not likely to forget her, are we?" Harry said, rolling his eyes humorously.

"Right, well, she's sort of our cousin." Ginny replied.

Harry and Hermione stared for a bit, until, finally, Ron began to explain.

"Wow." Was all Harry could think to say when Ron was finally through.

"Very strange." Hermione added. "It sounds as if she was transferred here by a port key. Do you think her grandmother..?"

_

* * *

__The room was still dark, but Verity could move easily now. With relief, she walked to the two lights, her footsteps echoing strangely. As she drew closer to the flames, she noticed that they were coming from two long, white tapers resting in ornate gold candleholders. The candleholders sat on a polished mahogany table. Verity sat on one of the chairs to wait and stared, mesmerized, at the twin flames._

* * *

The door to the hospital wing swung silently inward. The intruder paused, making certain that no one had observed the entrance. There was no light coming from Madame Pomfrey's door. The room was empty, save for his target. With assurance, the intruder stalked to the last bed and pointed a wand at the sleeping figure.

_A dark figure was now walking towards her. Verity observed it calmly, knowing that this was what she was waiting for._

_"Expelliarmus." The figure said._

_Of all the things she had been expecting, this was not it, but still she did not speak, she simply waited for an explanation._

_"Verity," another, strangely familiar voice said, "It's time to wake up…"_

* * *

Verity's eyes snapped open. Someone was in here-there at the foot of her bed! Malevolence was radiating from the intruder, who was pointing something at her. She opened her mouth to scream, but what come out surprised her.

"Expelliarmus!"

To her surprise, the thing (_A wand? Verity wondered_) that was pointing at her flew from her would-be attackers hand.

A light appeared under Madame Pomfrey's door. Verity tried to make out the features of the person standing before her, but whoever it was had turned and was out of the room in a flash.

"What's wrong, dear?" Madame Pomfrey's voice came from the doorway of her office.

"Um, nothing." Verity replied, before she had a chance to think, and then, without knowing why, she added "I had a nightmare."

Madame Pomfrey smiled and shook her head, "Well, that's easy enough to fix." She removed a bottle from one of the cabinets that lined the walls, "Drink this up, and you'll be asleep again in no time."

But Verity didn't drink. She stayed awake the rest of the night, puzzling at the strange dream, and praying that the intruder would not come back.

* * *

The next morning dawned gray and forbidding, the kind of day that normally made Verity long to do nothing more than curl up in bed with a good book. Today, however that was not an option.

Molly and Arthur Weasly stopped by again the morning for breakfast. They spoke of her options for the future. It was her decision, they said, whether to stay at Hogwarts or not. She could go back to the muggle world and forget about everything that had happened, or stay and learn how to control her magic.

"But how do you know that I even have any magic?" Verity asked.

"Dumbledore can see it in you, and you were accepted to this school when you were eleven. You just didn't know about it." Molly replied

It wasn't really a hard decision to make. The thought of going back to her old life without her grandmother or any other family left her cold. She didn't have any real friends at school either, as she could be painfully shy. This could be a new start for her, a chance to make friends, maybe go on a date or two, and learn more about herself and this new world around her.


End file.
